Puss In Boots 2: The Desert Sorcerer
by Salekov
Summary: After the great adventure of the Golden Goose and encounters with Humpty Dumpty, Jack and Jill, and the notorious Kitty Softpaws, Puss In Boots moves on across the humid desert on his horse, trying to find himself in a lost world. But once Puss comes across a horrid scene, he quickly learns that danger is near, and that stoping it is not as easy as he thinks.
1. Author’s Note

Puss In Boots has always been my favorite character in the Shrek universe, and his solo movie remains my favorite animated movie. Seeing that he is my favorite character, I came up with the idea of writing a sequel to his solo movie. For this story, I am disregarding The Adventures of Puss In Boots & The Three Diablos as canon (Though I will include some aspects from the show, such as Puss's mentor El Guante Blaco, and his horse being named Babieca). I am only considering all Shrek movies and the solo movie as canon. Anyway, I hope you enjoy this story as much as I did writing it!

Sincerely,

\- _SALEKOV_


	2. The Scene

It's night, and in the middle of the desert sits the outlaw, warming his paws by the fire as his valiant stead rests behind him.

He thinks of Kitty, Humpty, Imelda, and San Ricardo as a whole. Both pain and joy he feels. Grieving the loss of his brother, and rejoicing in the clearing of his name. No longer a disappointment in his momma's eyes, but an outlaw he will forever be.

He thinks of him and Humpty lying under the tree behind the orphanage, talking about adventures beyond their wildest dreams.

"We did it, Humpty." He said to himself. With a sigh, he got up and approached his horse, who woke up at the sound of his boots as he approached her.

"Rest Babieca. We have a busy day tomorrow. Much terrain to cover, as well as towns to visit." Puss said.

Babieca replied with a loud neigh and went back to sleep.

"Good girl."

With a yawn, Puss sat down and rested his head against Babieca, slowly falling asleep as the fire crackled in front of him.

Puss awoke to Babieca nudging her nose against him, whinnying for him to hurry and get up.

"Alright I'm up, I'm up!" He yelled tiredly. "I know, I said it'd be a busy day tomorrow."

Getting up, he noticed that Babieca was intrigued by something in the distance: A faint red glow amidst a cloud of sand.

Slowly, he approached her, just as intrigued as she was.

"Holy frijoles." Puss said in amazement.

Babieca whinnied in agreement.

Quickly, Puss hopped onto Babieca and smacked her side, causing her to run towards the red glow.

"Onward Babieca! I must investigate!"

Once they reached it, Babieca planted her hooves in the ground, causing her to come to a hault.

"Good girl." Puss said. He hopped off and slowly moved closer to the strange glow. That was until he saw what looked to be a broken carriage, and indeed it was.

Only, there was two bodies lying near it. One with a knife in their back, and the other crushed under the carriage. Quickly, Puss ran over to them, only to find out that there was many bodies sprawled across the area amongst the debris of carriages and other means of travel. Puss, surveying the scene, noticed that not even the animals survived.

"What...What could have done this?" Puss said in dismay.

Slowly, he took off his hat and bowed his head as a sign of respect. That was until Babieca whinnied, causing Puss to quickly put on his hat and run to her.

"What is it Babieca?"

He noticed that she was backing away from the strange glow out of fear, hitting her hooves against the sand as a sign of discomfort.

It was then that Puss put two and two together. Did whatever this is drive these people mad to the point of them killing each other? Puss thought the idea ridiculous for a second, until he took another look at the scene. Looking at it now, he thought it looked more like a civil war rather than a mass murder.

Taking a deep breath, he slowly began to approach the glow, his heart racing faster with each step he took.

As he got ever so closer, he saw that the glow had a form. It looked like a gem. More specifically, a Ruby.

"Woah..." Puss uttered as he slowly reached his paws out to grab it. Picking it up, he placed it in his saddle bag.

"I must not let this get into the wrong hands, seeing what it has already done."

Puss hurried over to Babieca and hopped on her saddle, and before he went, he took off his hat once more to show respect.

"May your souls rest in peace. For I promise that I will not let this harm another living soul."

With that, he rode off, not knowing that the Ruby did not drive a group of innocent people mad, but that this was a group of thieves who each were attracted to the gem, leading them all to fight over it. And not only that, but he rode off not knowing that it was destiny that led him to find this gem, and that the gem itself called after him to take on the quest on which he was about to embark on.


	3. The Projection

Hours passed since Puss found the Ruby, and the desert winds were getting stronger.

"Faster Babieca!" He said, smacking her side.

She whinnied and ran into the dust.

As she continued forward, the cloud of dust began to fade, and Puss was able to see the sky again.

Yet, out of nowhere, a bright light exploded in front of him, causing him to fall off of Babieca.

He hit the ground hard, getting the wind knocked out of him.

"Oh..." He groaned.

Now the dust was even more prevalent than before, and he could not see a thing, not even Babieca, save for the bright light that stood firm in the midst.

"Puss!" It called out in an echoed but feminine voice.

"Puss In Boots!"

Pushing himself up, he grabbed his saddle bag and slowly approached the light.

"Puss In Boots!" It yelled once more.

"It is I. Puss In Boots." He said in a shaky tone.

"Puss In Boots. It is I, Princess Belleza of OtherWorld." The voice replied.

Puss slowly backed away as a projected figure began to proceed from the light. As it got closer, it revealed itself to be a feline in a dress with a golden crown.

"I see that the Ruby has picked you to do the task." She said.

"Task? What task?"

"The task of bringing it back to my world."

Puss became agitated.

"So that is where this diabolical jewel came from?" He shouted, pulling it from his saddle bag.

"Diabolical?" The princess said, confused.

"Yes! Diabolical! For your information, this thing has already taken the lives of many innocent people!"

"Innocent people, or merciless thieves?" The princess replied.

"I'm sorry?"

"Those weren't innocent people, Puss. Those were thieves driven mad by their lust for the Ruby."

Puss wasn't convinced.

"Oh yea? And why should I trust what you say?"

"Because fate, Puss. Don't you feel it? The connection?"

Puss was confused at first, but soon realized what she meant. Looking down at the Ruby, he saw that it was glowing with the rhythm of his heartbeat.

Shocked, Puss looked back at her, and in his eyes she saw that he sought an explanation.

"I know what you're thinking Puss. Why? Why me? Truthfully, I can't answer that question. It was the ruby that picked you. It saw that you could accomplish such a task.

And I know what you're gonna say. Why cant I just get the ruby myself? How did it end up here in the first place? And what is it for?

What you have in your paw is the Ruby of Verdad; an ancient gem that's been passed down in my family for generations. Each heir to the throne is entrusted with it, so that it can protect our worlds from colliding.

You see Puss, that gem is what balances our worlds and keeps them from interacting with each other, and causing catastrophe.

Everything was fine. That is, until an evil sorcerer named Deletrear stole the Ruby and fled OtherWorld.

Using the Ruby, he opened a portal to earth. I sent some of my men out to get him, but they were killed instantly when they went through.

I assume the Ruby was separated from Deletrear when he went through the portal, seeing where it is now. But our worlds are connected by a thin line, and the longer the gem is in your world, the more they both get closer to being annihilated. That is why I can't get it myself, because I will die, and my world will fall even sooner.

Your task, Puss, is to follow the Ruby's instructions to where the portal is, and to return it to me before it can get back into Deletrear's hands.

The moment he gets his hands on the ruby in your world, is the moment both worlds will be destroyed, and Deltrear will harbor all the power in the universe. With this power, he will create a new world and rule every living creature from all worlds. And he will reign supreme, and all hope will be lost."

The princess slowly shut her eyes and shed a tear.

After hearing the passion in her voice, and considering the events leading to this, he decided to trust what she said.

"Ok, your majesty. I will accept this task." Puss said, watching as his heartbeat matched the glow of the Ruby.

"Seeing that it is indeed fate."

The princess smiled and her eyes lit up with joy.

"Very well, Puss In Boots. I give you my blessing to take on this quest, and I wish you Godspeed!"

In that moment, Babieca came from the desert storm, whinnying with what seemed to be excitement.

Puss quickly hopped onto Babieca, feeling that familiar feeling he often felt when going on adventures. Perhaps this was excitement as well. Yet, Puss also felt anxious, and almost scared. But he disregarded it, unaware that it would overcome him later.

He tipped his hat to the princess, and rode off, doing as the Ruby instructed.

The princess smiled, and her projection soon faded, and she was back in her throne room.

"Godseed Puss In Boots. Godspeed." She said in a relaxed but worried tone.


End file.
